Ex-Xbox VP won't buy next-gen Xbox, will play exclusives on PC instead

Microsoft talks former Xbox exec Mike Ybarra out of buying the next-gen Xbox SX.

Derek Strickland

Senior Gaming Editor

Published Jan 8, 2020 3:00 PM CST
Updated Nov 3, 2020 11:45 AM CST

11 minutes read time

Ex-Xbox VP Mike Ybarra won't be buying an Xbox Series X console. The reason? He can play all Xbox exclusives on PC.

Mike Ybarra's recent Twitter comment is brief but speaks volumes about Microsoft's service- and software-first gaming business. Ybarra says he'll buy a PlayStation 5 because he's already a PC gamer, hinting it'd be redundant to own both a gaming PC and Xbox console. Honestly it's pretty true. All first-party Xbox exclusives are coming to Windows 10 PCs day-and-date of release, and that goes with Game Pass too.

This isn't a new development though. As far back as 2016, I said Microsoft's cross-platform synergy basically talks a portion of consumers out of buying Xbox hardware--namely existing PC gamers. This is a point of strength for Microsoft simply because it no longer cares that much about Xbox console sales. It's no longer trying to win over PC gamers by fighting with them, and joining the two platforms and making Xbox into a service rather than a console has been tremendously beneficial.

Ex-Xbox VP won't buy next-gen Xbox, will play exclusives on PC instead 3

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The real money is in services and games, both of which can be monetized and sold in unique ways, whether it be one-off purchases or recurring subscriptions (and in the case of Xbox Game Pass, both occur).

Instead of trying to sell you a box, Microsoft wants to sell you access. That's what services represent, access that you don't actually own but lease for a monthly fee. The console hardware is basically a gateway to this access for existing console users who are thoroughly sticky in the Xbox ecosystem, and the main generation forward is mostly catered to them, not PC gamers.

If you want to play Xbox games on PC you still have to pay for access. Whether that's a full game sale on the Windows 10 Store, Steam, or Game Pass, you're paying something. And that's what Microsoft wants.

Long story short: Gamers avoiding the Xbox SX won't hurt Microsoft because it's already moved on from the traditional console game.

Its business model has evolved past hardware and no longer depends on Xbox console sales to thrive. Sure it helps, and every console sale is a gateway to the ecosystem, but there's many different points of access to the ecosystem with Project xCloud mobile game streaming and Windows 10 PC gaming.

Xbox Series X is due out by Holiday 2020. No pricing has been announced.

Check below for confirmed specs and details, and a huge content listing of everything we've heard about Xbox Series X so far: